News Updates

Village & Barrio Plan Next Steps, 10/19

City staff will provide an update on the draft Village and Barrio Master Plan to the City of Carlsbad Planning Commission Oct. 19. The update will include an overview of public input received to date and how city staff propose changing the plan based on that input. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at take place at City Hall, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive.

The public will have an opportunity to comment on staff's recommendations at the meeting. A meeting agenda and report summarizing the proposed changes are available on the city website.

At a Glance

The city is updating a master plan for the historic Village and Barrio areas.

The plan establishes a vision for future development and land uses in these two neighborhoods.

The community has provided a lot of input to help guide the development of the plan.

The Oct. 19 meeting is an opportunity to hear about public input received, potential revisions to the plan and next steps.

The Village and Barrio Master Plan will replace the Carlsbad Village Master Plan and Design Manual, which was adopted in 1996 and has been revised periodically since, most recently in 2014. The city released the first draft of the Village and Barrio Master Plan in November 2015. The plan was then revised based on input, and a second draft was released in April 2016.

At the Oct. 19 meeting, the Planning Commission will confirm or modify staff’s recommendations on areas of the plan to revise or study for revision as part of the preparation of the final master plan. City staff will take the lead on finalizing the plan, including incorporating community input and, in 2017, presenting the updated plan for review by the public, Planning Commission and, ultimately, the City Council.

“While we gather additional input and complete the parking study, we are still moving forward with immediate improvements, such as sidewalk upgrades, enhanced traffic safety and improved pedestrian lighting,” said Senior Planner Scott Donnell.

Copies of the draft plan are available at the city’s libraries, Faraday Center, Senior Center and City Clerk’s Office and online at www.carlsbadca.gov/villagebarrio. Those unable to attend the Oct. 19 meeting are encouraged to review the meeting agenda and report online.

About the Plan

The master plan focuses on enhancing neighborhood character, community gathering spaces and economic vitality, based on ideas gathered from the community starting in September 2014. Hundreds of community members participated in hands-on design sessions, an online forum, technical sessions and public meetings.

Among the concepts included in the plan are new access opportunities that could result from putting the coastal railroad tracks through the Village and Barrio underground in a trench. The San Diego Association of Governments is adding a second parallel track along the coast and has agreed to study the option of trenching the tracks below ground level, at the City of Carlsbad’s request.

Other ideas for the Village include:

Make Grand Avenue more pedestrian-friendly by creating a promenade.

Create public plazas at Grand Avenue and State Street and other places.

Improve streets and sidewalks west of Carlsbad Boulevard, benefitting drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Tunnel beneath Interstate 5 to connect Grand Avenue to the east side of the freeway.

Ideas for the Barrio include:

Along the streets, add crosswalks, trees and pedestrian-scaled lighting and improvements to “calm” automobile traffic.

Construct a roundabout at Tamarack Avenue and Jefferson Street to create a gateway to the Barrio and beach.

Ensure new development is in keeping with the current character of the area.

According to Donnell, the city decided to combine the Village and Barrio under one master plan to enhance connectivity between the two areas.

The plan also focuses on alternatives to traveling by car, such as walking and biking. The city already has emphasized making the Village and Barrio more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly by placing more than 100 bike racks and corrals in both neighborhoods and by making it easier and safer for pedestrians to cross Carlsbad Boulevard and Grand Avenue and walk along Chestnut Avenue in the Barrio. The plan also includes ways to increase parking in the Village and Barrio and ideas for emerging transportation choices, such as a shuttle system and ride sharing. The parking study of the Village, Barrio and beach area now underway will help further inform future parking strategies in the master plan’s area. The city will also be seeking community input on ideas to improve parking in connection to the study.

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